A Very Different Christmas
by CrazyAbout
Summary: Section D spend Christmas at a hotel in Scotland. Very AU


A very different Christmas.

A very different Christmas.

Harry walked into the meeting room, wondering just how he was going to deliver the news.

It was only 6 days before Christmas and despite the fact that in all probability he would be spending it alone, he had been looking forward to at least a couple of day away from the chaos that was the grid.

He looked around at their expectant faces and as always his eyes lingered longer than he knew was good for him on Ruth. Despite all his efforts, he could not accept her refusal to go out with him again and the hope still lingered, that at some point, he might be able to persuade her to think otherwise.

'There's a flu epidemic at Six' he announced, and we have been ordered to take over their impending Op at a hotel in Scotland'.

He continued, by explaining that there was every reason to believe, that a yet to be recognised group, were gathering together over the holiday season to plan some sort of atrocity which up to now, hadn't been identified.

Faces that had been momentary filled with smirks at the prospect of their friends at Six being struck down, changed immeasurably as they realised the implications that would once again ruin their Christmas break.

'Adam, set up our legends, we have to leave tomorrow and use Zaf to help if you need to. There will be a pre-Christmas social event to attend, so you had all better pack for that as well.' Harry added.

Walking back to his office, Harry watched as Adam and Zaf huddled around Adam's desk whilst it appeared that Ros, Jo and Ruth had headed towards the kitchen, presumably to make everyone a cup of coffee or perhaps plan exactly what they needed to pack for this unexpected trip.

It was then that it struck him that perhaps herein lay his opportunity to spend some time with Ruth away from the grid and that maybe it might not be such a lonely Christmas after all. Despite himself, he smiled.

Back in the meeting room some 3 hours later they sat listening whilst Adam explained their legends. The hotel manager had been appraised of their imminent arrival, but not about the reason why. Ros would be taking up the vacant role as his assistant, thus giving her access to all rooms and the computer network in the hotel. With Christmas approaching and the prospect of the hotel requiring a tree with lights, numerous decorations and the need for furniture and fittings to be moved, Zaf was being hired as general handyman, allowing him access to the less salubrious areas of the hotel including the garages and outbuildings.

The rest of them were being added to the guest list. Adam was going to pose as a businessman specialising in hotel refurbishment, thus giving him a reason to spend time with Ros. Jo was to be a student on work experience who was planning a career in tourism enabling her to observe almost anyone and everyone which left just Harry and Ruth waiting to hear what Adam and Zaf had cooked up for them.

'Right' said Adam which Harry deduced to be said with a small but well controlled smile on his face. 'Harry and Ruth will to be a couple from Cambridge and members of the same choir, singing at the Cathedral in the run up to Christmas,' he announced to a now captivated audience.

All eyes turned from Adam to Harry who for once appeared to have lost the ability to speak. Ruth was staring intently into her lap and at the same time chewing the end of her pen in an vain attempt to keep her shaking hands under control.

Seeing their discomfort, Adam felt the need to elaborate so ploughed on, seemingly unaware that he was only making things worse.

'We need a couple that are believable, he continued, and as such can spend time together, have meals together and well come and go anywhere in the hotel whenever they want to.'

'To be honest, you two are the only pairing that will work.'

Harry and Ruth's eyes locked briefly, both considering Adam's use of the word pairing and the implications it might hold. Harry, whose feelings were writ large upon his face and had nothing to do with choir practice but more to do with the fact that anywhere in the hotel included bedrooms, tried not to smile. He turned, just in time to see Ros who had obviously guessed where his mind had gone, raise an eyebrow at him.

Ruth, whose analytical mind was working at an alarming rate, concluded that her so far pent up feelings and regrets at turning Harry down when he had wanted to take her on a second date, or more importantly his dreamed of Grand Tour, might finally need to be addressed. Trying to contain the blush that she felt sweeping across her neck and face she decided that it was probably a good idea to let go the breathe that she had thus far been holding. The alternative would be to end up on the floor of the meeting room only to open her eyes and find Harry about to give her the kiss of life.

'Well, that's all settled then,' said Adam 'we better all spend the next few hours getting our legends sorted and make our travel arrangements before we leave tomorrow.'

Ros and Adam it was decided would drive together as far as Durham after which Adam would then hire a car and arrive under his own steam. Zaf and Jo would go most of the way by train and then arrive by bus or taxi and Harry and Ruth who would need to arrive together, would drive there in Harry's car.

With that, the meeting broke up. Adam and Ros had little to do other than to pack, Zaf decided that perhaps he needed to brush up on his DIY skills and Jo was thinking that maybe she should go shopping for clothes that might at least give the impression that she was indeed a student.

Once the others had gone, Harry and Ruth were still sitting in the meeting room, he gazing at her with a gentle smile on his face, she still looking anywhere but at him.

'Come on Ruth, we can pull this off can't we?' he said, 'it might not be that bad.'

After a short pause, a small 'ok' escaped her lips and she raised her eyes to meet his. In that single moment Harry's world started to turn again, just maybe she wasn't lost to him he thought.

From the meeting room, Harry headed to see Malcolm who had been designated their means of communication with the grid whilst they were away. He and Malcolm, although so different in almost every way possible were perhaps as close as either came to having a friend.

'Make the most of this chance Harry' said Malcolm, 'I'm so sorry that I put my foot in it the last time.'

'I fully intend to' said Harry with a smile, 'work permitting of course.'

As the grid emptied that evening, six spooks headed home to prepare for the week ahead. Each in his or her own way deciding that if they had to spend Christmas away from home, then perhaps this was as close as they would ever get to being with family.

At 10am the following morning, Ruth was still packing the last of her luggage when her doorbell rang. Panic which she had so far been able to keep at bay seized her as she realised that for heaven knows how many hours, she and Harry would be travelling together alone in his car.

In the lead up to his arrival, her case had been packed, emptied and re packed several times as she agonised over what she should or shouldn't take. In the end, she had decided that even if it were as cold as was rumoured in Scotland at this time of year, her thermals just wouldn't do. Heaven forbid that she would be wearing them, if Harry and she did, well best not to think about that right now. In the end, she packed what she thought Harry might like her to wear, if indeed they really were the couple that they were pretending to be.

Opening her door, she was greeted by a casually dressed Harry beaming at her from ear to ear.

'Ready for the off?' he enquired picking up her suitcase and guiding her out of her front door and down to his car. Opening the door for her, he lent down and gave her a peck on the cheek as she bent to get in.

Well, I thought we ought to get into character sooner rather than later' he said, leaving her speechless yet again but secretly rather pleased at the prospect of the long drive north.

Across town Adam and Ros had left much earlier and were already well on their way. Sharing the driving allowed the other to sleep for a few hours, meaning that they would reach the hotel in time for dinner.

Zaf, who had never even opened a tool box let alone used anything that one might contain, was boarding the train looking every bit the handyman. Jo who was travelling on the same train was armed with a haversack full of jeans and heavy jumpers and a small case with what she deemed to be an outfit for the pre-Christmas dance/get together. They might even arrive before Adam and Ros they concluded, providing there were no hold ups on the way.

Harry and Ruth, well behind the others, had finally realised that any attempt to do the journey in one day was futile. Harry rang Adam to say that they were planning an overnight stop and that they would be at the hotel by mid- morning the following day. Any conclusions that Adam or the others came to, were inconsequential Harry decided, after all there were at least 4 days before the Op was due to get underway, and he was dammed if he wasn't going to make the most of having Ruth all to himself for a while.

So it was, that he had pulled off the main road and driven down country lanes finally pulling up at a small hotel in a village close to where he was born. His parents and friends who had once lived there were long gone, so there would be no one that would remember him or take them to be anything but the couple that they were supposed to be.

'Let's pretend we're on the Grand Tour' he had said quietly to Ruth as they had arrived and been rewarded with her beautiful smile.

Quite what Ruth had supposed was going to happen now that she and Harry were about to spend a night in a hotel together she didn't know. To her disappointment she realised, which she hoped didn't show on her face, he booked two rooms. During dinner he held her hand only briefly and outside her door had asked her if he could kiss her, before he said goodnight .

The Harry Pearce that she had previously researched, had it seemed been far less the gentleman than the one she was now with. She had also met the infamous Juliet Shaw, one of his previous lovers which was why, up until now, she had thought herself to be anything but the kind of woman that Harry might want to go out with. Getting undressed and ready for bed, she wondered if perhaps she had read the signs wrong and that packing her least warm and sexiest underwear might have been a mistake. It was with a tinge of disappointment and a huge amount of frustration that she finally fell sleep.

Harry on his part, lay on his bed wondering how the hell he had managed to behave so out of character. He had long contemplated spending a night with Ruth and here, finally when he had the chance to show her just how much he wanted her, all he had done was kiss her goodnight and was now lying in his room alone.

Maybe, just maybe a voice in the back of his head, was telling him to take this slowly. Ruth was after all, gentle and obviously shy. Despite the fact that he knew she felt something for him, this needed to be handled differently from his previous conquests. Conquest, no that was the wrong word and certainly didn't apply to Ruth. He recalled Malcolm's words to him just before they had left and then completely unlike him, he started to analyse his feelings.

This was different , was it possible that he was in love with Ruth? He did feet a desperate need to look after and protect her so maybe just maybe he had finally found someone that would make him smile again. Despite these finer thoughts he was still struggling to relax. After a good deal of wrestling with his pillows in an effort to expend his raging adrenalin levels, he joined Ruth in sleep.

In another hotel some 200 miles north, the rest of section D were settling into their rolls. Ros had greeted the new arrivals who had all been shown to their rooms having been given a leaflet explaining the festivities that were planned for the next few days.

Zaf had been despatched to the staff wing with a huge list of duties that he was expected to carry out the following day. Bringing in and decorating the huge Christmas tree that he had seen outside the front door was first on the list. He thought back to his father and the struggle that he had had every year when the lights had failed to come on. Wracking his brain to remember how the problem had been resolved, he decided that as he was just the handyman, if this were to happen, the hotel would just have to find someone else with a modicum of knowledge about electrics.

He on the other hand had to find a way to nose around in the garages and outbuildings, a far more important job than putting up a bloody tree.

Jo was unpacking her meagre belongings and contemplating going down to dinner. She wondered if she could find a way of engaging in conversation and then maybe sharing a table with Adam rather than eating alone. As it was, the problem had already been resolved for her by Ros, now fitting into her roll and looking every bit the assistant manager.

She had already spoken to Adam and had asked if he minded sharing his table with a young lady that was travelling alone. Space was at a premium she had said at this time of year and as they both appeared to have an interest in tourism, she might be a far more acceptable dining companion than a stuffy old professor from the university. Adam had accepted quite graciously, pointing out that dining alone was something he did all too frequently and that it would make a nice change to have someone to talk to.

Thus it was that their first evening in their new surroundings came to a conclusion. As they each headed to bed, their thoughts turned to their two other colleagues who were somewhere else doing who knows what they wondered. Maybe the next few days would be fun as well as work – Zaf's book was still running after all!

The following morning, just after 11.30, Zaf was striding across the lawn with a ladder over his shoulder. Turning at the sound of a car, he saw Harry's range rover coming steadily up the drive. As he parked the car alongside the others that were already there, he called Zaf over.

'We're a bit later arriving than planned he said, I hope we haven't missed any of the festivities?'

Immediately understanding the meaning of Harry's question, he smiled back.

'Not at all sir, it really was very quiet last evening, although you might want to talk to our new assistant manager, I believe that she will be much more help to you than I can be.'

'Thank you Chris' said Harry, peering at but not needing to check Zaf's name on his ID badge.

Unloading both his and Ruth's suitcases and deciding that anything else that they needed to take inside would require a second trip, they walked into the hotel's foyer.

They were greeted by a smiling Ros who motioned them to the desk to sign in.

'Your rooms are adjoining,' she said with what Harry deduced to be close to a smirk. 'We know that you will want to practise together before the performance, which is why we have put you in rooms next to each other.'

Rather than upset an already dumbstruck Ruth, he gave Ros his best, I'll speak to you later look and proceeded to pick up both their cases and head for the lift.

As they reached the second floor and opened the doors to their rooms, they both conceded that if anything were to happen between them, then this looked to be about as comfortable and elegant as it could get. After about 10 minutes, Ruth heard a gentle tap on the adjoining door and opened it to see a questioning look on Harry's face.

'Are you ok with this?' he asked indicating the adjoining door, still concerned that they were being manipulated into something that was making her feel uncomfortable.

Uncharacteristically for a usually timid Ruth, she looked him straight in the eye and said 'yes, are you?'

Deciding that perhaps some fresh air and a walk in the garden would do them both good after such a long journey, they headed outside. The grounds were extensive with pathways flanked by flowerbeds and hedges and so far remote from the usual hubbub that they were used to.

Once out of sight of the house, Harry decided that perhaps it was time to test the water and gently took Ruth's hand in his own. Progress he thought ,when she didn't pull away.

Back in their rooms, they were getting ready to go down to dinner, both far less nervous than they had been the evening before.

'Hi' she said as she opened the door to let him in, realising that she was seeing him for only the second time in far more casual clothes than he ever wore on the grid.

In his case, there was no possible way that he could disguise the way he was feeling, as he unashamedly gazed at her.

'Come on then, we had better face the music' he said smiling 'there is no way that I can get through this evening without them realising how I feel about you.'

As they walked out of the lift and towards the dining room, she linked her hand through his arm. The others could think what they liked she surmised, she was happy and whether they thought they were acting out their legend or not, it didn't really matter anymore.

Adam and Jo were already at their table when Harry and Ruth walked in, Jo's eyes going wide as she watched her colleagues walking across the room. It took Adam a few seconds longer to see what Jo was grinning at.

'Legend or not, what do you think?' said Adam.

'Just at this moment, I am finding it hard to think at all,' Jo whispered 'we really need to get Zaf to change the odds on his book.

At a table now hidden from their curious colleagues, Harry and Ruth started to relax. Conversation flowed more easily after a couple of glasses of wine, only becoming more laboured as each in turn remembered that at the end of the evening they would be returning to rooms with an adjoining door. Harry contemplated another night with his raging adrenalin fuelled fantasies and Ruth wondered if she would have the courage to say yes, if he invited her in once they went upstairs.

By the time they left the table, Adam and Jo had mercifully disappeared but right on cue Ros appeared as if by magic.

'Sir, madam, I do hope that you both sleep well.' she said 'Goodnight.'

'I'm sure we will, thank you,' answered Harry, wondering just how long she had been lurking about waiting for them to appear.

Ruth opened her door and turned to look at him. There seemed little point in walking along the corridor to his own door when the shortest route was through Ruth's room, or at least that's what he told himself. Tomorrow was also Christmas Eve, so this was probably the last evening when they wouldn't be interrupted by work.

Once inside, what had previously been a will he won't he scenario for Ruth, quickly changed to a now or never one. Deciding that if she lost her nerve this evening, then maybe she would never find the courage to take that final step. Walking slowly forward, she put her hands tentatively on his shoulders. Needing no further encouragement, Harry took her in his arms and kissed her as if she was the most precious thing on earth.

All the wasted time and the dancing around each other that had been going on for years evaporated in that one moment as they stumbled backwards towards her bed. Slowly and almost reverently at first he made love to the woman that he had wanted for so long. As the night slipped away and headed towards another day, they lay together, as he so far had only dreamed of.

Breakfast over, the hotel erupted into an organised hive of activity. The tables in the dining room was being re arranged for the evening buffet . In the lounge, seats were being moved to the edge of the room leaving space for a dance floor and the bar was being restocked in readiness for the festivities. At the centre of this, Zaf lifted and shifted as he was told, wondering why the hell he always drew the short straw during assignments. Jo was helping with the lighter jobs gaining her supposed work experience, whilst Ros barked orders as her newly acquired minions who deemed it sensible to get the work done asap or quite possibly be put in detention.

Having first introduced himself over breakfast, Adam had now struck up a conversation with Harry and Ruth. Deciding to escape the chaos indoors, the three of them were now walking in the garden.

If there were to be any characters that needed their attention, then they would surely be among the guests who would arrive today they concluded but as the evening's event was not open to outsiders, that should cut down on numbers. They would still have to rely on Ros, to give them a heads up if she thought anyone warranted special attention.

Throughout their conversation, Adam watched his colleagues with a growing interest . The usually stiff and quite often less than relaxed Harry of the grid, had it seemed, in the space of two days, undergone a personality transformation. Totally out of character, he appeared to be enjoying the fact that he was having to work over Christmas.

Adam turned his attention to Ruth. Again, something was different and why was she paying Harry so much attention as if acting out her legend. She clearly didn't need to when the three of them were out here. Bloody hell, he thought.

Deciding to risk being told in no uncertain terms by Harry to mind his own business or to embarrass Ruth, he pondered his question. He just couldn't let them get away without him having a chance to fish a bit.

'Oh, by the way, how's the singing going, have you two had the chance to practice?' he asked.

Seeing the usual steel take up residence in Harry's eyes, Adam wished he hadn't been so stupid.

'Yes we have' said Ruth with a nod. 'Thank you for asking Adam and now if you wouldn't mind, Harry and I would like to continue with our walk.'

A completely stunned Adam wandered back towards the confines of the hotel leaving his now two seemingly re born colleagues, to do whatever they had planned. It had precious little do with walking, he surmised. He needed to talk to Zaf.

By 5pm, the hotel was ready for the evening ahead. The lounge with its newly adorned tree, subtle lighting and a small stage erected for the musicians, looked pretty good thought Zaf . After a meal with the rest of the staff, he was finally back in his room for a rest before he was on call should he be needed during the course of the evening.

Adam had showered and was lying on his bed reading and Jo was trying to decide if either of the two outfits she had brought with her were close to being suitable for the evening ahead. Supposedly being a student was all well and good, but there was no way she was going to impress Zaf dressed like an 18 year old.

The adjoining door between rooms 3 and 4 on the second floor no longer needed to be closed. Lying on Ruth's bed wrapped together as though it was the most natural thing in the world, Harry and Ruth were in a deep and peaceful sleep. Harry's final thought before he drifted off was to make sure, he made good his promise to Malcolm.

By 8pm, the dining room and lounge were filling up nicely as the off duty staff mingled 40 plus guests..

Zaf who up to now had spent most of his time outside the hotel was appreciating not only the view of Jo dressed in what he thought to be a very figure enhancing dress but was also afforded the pleasure of keeping an eye on what Adam had described as a re invented Harry and Ruth.

Now looking forward to the evening immensely, he was thinking that perhaps Christmas in the wilds of Scotland despite the cold weather and the fact that he had been working a bloody sight harder than anyone else for the past few days, might not be so bad after all.

Malcolm had spent two days pouring over the details of all the guests and staff at the hotel. Despite all his searches, none seemed to show any reason that they might be anything other than what they appeared to be. Intel had been proved wrong before, perhaps his colleagues were on a wild goose chase he thought.

He had relayed his findings or indeed lack of to Ros, who was now wandering between the dining room and lounge, making a good fist of being the perfect hostess.

Casting her eyes around the lounge, she watched Zaf with interest. He appeared to be watching Jo with a look on his face that was bordering on desire.

'God, are they all at it?' she muttered, ' I'm supposed to be a bloody spy for heaven's sake, why haven't I noticed this before?'

She turned, just in time to see Adam who had apparently been on his way for another drink, change his mind and head towards Harry and Ruth.

Ros watched on with amusement as Adam approached them before directing a question to Harry. Fascinated, she continued to watch as Adam took Ruth's hand and led her to the middle of the room.

Harry was painfully aware of his blood pressure rising as his heart rate increased. Adam was holding Ruth far too close for comfort, probably to goad him, and it was bloody well working. He tried hard to supress the rising jealousy that was welling up inside him, but with little success.

Ruth had committed herself to him, of that he had no doubt, but this was getting out of hand and he needed to deal with it without Adam and the rest of his staff realising he was currently building up to a coronary.

As the music changed to a slow ballad, Adam said something to Ruth that made her giggle, Harry was out of his chair and moving with a speed that surprised even him. Weaving his way through the other dancers, he tapped Adam on the shoulder, indicating that he was cutting in.

Ros watched on, fascinated at the drama that was being played out in front of her. If these two were nothing but colleagues, she had better look for another job. Reading people was a vital part of what they did and despite feeling that she was intruding on a very private moment, she couldn't bring herself to look away.

Harry was holding Ruth with such gentleness and he sheer look of adoration between them almost took her breathe away.

The usually hard hearted Ros Myers, felt totally humbled.


End file.
